as in spiral
turning around an axis like the thread of a screw Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens, travels a helical path through space

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of helical Power is sent through a 6-speed short-throw manual transmission to the front wheels through a helical limited-slip differential. Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 Bless Volkswagen for keeping the helical gears turning, both literally and figuratively. ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025 The magnetic field might be shaped like a spiral (called helical) or doughnut shaped (called toroidal). Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2025 These consist of arrays of small antennas, each fed with a signal at a shifted phase to create the helical wave. IEEE Spectrum, 25 Apr. 2012 See All Example Sentences for helical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helical
Adjective
  • As their schemes spiral, father and son are forced into an uneasy alliance to save the family from total implosion.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Kids ages three and up will love all the special touches such as a huge three-story spiral slide, pool, dedicated pet area with its own slide and a working elevator.
    Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Thake took a long and winding trip down the memories of South Yorkshire football, a path which eventually led him to the living room of a shy, almost reclusive Rotherham man called Terry Moran.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The Didi and Gogo that Sparks and Shannon created were full of blood and bile, real people with — no matter how obscured in its details by time and circumstance — a long and winding relationship.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Helical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helical. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

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